Penn State has added another commitment to their 2025 recruiting cycle as linebacker target Cameron Smith, a standout at powerhouse St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania announced his decision on Thursday.
"The culture and standard at Penn State makes it a perfect fit," Smith told Rivals about his decision to flip to Penn State. "I’ve always wanted to go to Penn State. They have a long history of great linebackers, and I have the chance to compete for a national championship with some great coaches over there."
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Smith's commitment to Penn State comes after the three-star athlete was committed to former Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and the Duke Blue Devils since early February.
Despite committing to Duke in February, Penn State and Smith have remained in contact and that contact led to a visit to Happy Valley at the end of July for the Nittany Lions' Lasch Bash.
"The staff was extremely hyped when I told them the news," said Smith. "They told me that it would be a pleasure to coach me at the next level."
Smith is the 24th commitment for Penn State in their 2025 recruiting class and the second commitment in August, joining Florida wide receiver Koby Howard who committed to the Nittany Lions over the weekend.
He is also the third linebacker in the class for Penn State as he joins a pair of fellow Pennsylvania natives in Dayshaun Burnett and Alex Tatsch. His commitment helps make up for the loss of four-star linebacker D.J. McClary who flipped his commitment from Penn State to Rutgers this summer.
In 11 games played last season for St. Joes Prep, Smith totaled 96 tackles including two sacks. He was a major part of a nationally ranked Hawks squad that was the 2023 PIAA 6A champions, led by a defense that allowed just 130 points across 14 games.
Now Smith is also the first from St. Joe's Prep to commit to Penn State since John Reid back in the 2015 class, but he hopes to convince others to join him.
"I’ll do what’s needed if the coaches want someone," he said. "My message is to obviously choose the school that is most suited for you, but this Penn State the place the be if you want to play the best football in the country."
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